The former four-star wideout was picked up on property theft charges.
Former Texas and Washington wide receiver Johntay Cook II was arrested Tuesday in Fort Worth, Texas, on property theft charges and interference with public duties, according to an arrest report. Cook is currently ranked as the top-available transfer in the 2025 recruiting cycle after leaving Washington not long after arriving on campus.
The 6-foot, 185-pound receiver initially announced in November his intentions to enter the transfer portal after a mutual decision to part ways with Texas. Cook had a limited role in a crowded receiver room with only eight catches for 137 yards in 2024. The former Top247 wide receiver was looked at as a potential building block for the Longhorns in the future, but he found himself out of the playing rotation as he battled injuries.
In two seasons with the Longhorns, Cook caught 16 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns.
Per Dawgman, Cook projected to come in and challenge for a starting job right away at Washington with the loss of Giles Jackson and Jeremiah Hunter to graduation and Keith Reynolds to the portal.
Cook, a former 247Sport Composite five-star recruit, was a priority target for the Longhorns going back to Tom Herman’s staff, and Steve Sarkisian kept the push going for him once he took over. When Brennan Marion was hired, one of the first stops he made was to Desoto high school to see Cook and meet with his high school coaches.
Cook was offered early by the Longhorns and committed to Texas in June of 2022. He previously held 41 offers and chose the Longhorns over programs like Oregon, Michigan, Alabama, Texas A&M, Georgia and several others.
A three-year starter at DFW-area powerhouse Desoto, Cook finished his senior season with 84 catches for 1,470 yards and 22 touchdowns. For his career, Cook put up huge numbers with 165 catches for 2,966 yards and 51 touchdowns. Cook finished his career as an Under Armour All-American, a 6A-II state champion and a member of the Academic All-State team as named by the THSCA.
Mike Roach contributed to this report.